AMBASSADOR Enrique A. Manalo officially commenced his duties as Permanent Representative of the Republic of the Philippines to the United Nations last July 27 after presenting his credentials to the UN. Ambassador Manalo was received virtually by the Chief of Protocol of the United Nations, Ms. Beatrix Kania. Before his posting in New York, Ambassador…
TWENTY-FIVE new cases of the novel coronavirus among Filipinos across the globe have been reported, bringing the total number of infections to 9,933, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Tuesday, August 18. It also recorded 16 new recoveries, raising the number of recovered Filipinos to 5,860. Meanwhile, the death toll remained at…
LOS ANGELES — Mayor Garcetti recently extended relaxed parking enforcement across the City of Los Angeles until October 1, making it easier for Angelenos to stay home whenever possible without being concerned about a ticket. “Angelenos shouldn’t be penalized for staying home, avoiding unnecessary trips, and doing their part to stop the spread of COVID-19,”…
A MUTATED strain of the novel coronavirus has been found in the Philippines, which could be more infectious than the original variant, Filipino genomic researchers reported. The G614 strain was detected along with the original D614 genotype in the positive samples collected from Quezon City, home to approximately 2.9 million residents, according to the Philippine…
Six months into the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government’s response to the crisis (or, in some cases, lack thereof) has punctuated cultural, social and political inequities across all communities. Public education, income disparity and employment, housing retention and immigration are chief among the ongoing public entities that have been rocked by governmental unpreparedness throughout the…
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte will address the nation on August 17 to announce the new community quarantine classifications in the country, Malacañang said on Thursday, August 13. “Inaasahan po natin na magme-mensahe sa taumbayan muli ang ating Presidente sa August 17 kung saan ia-anunsiyo rin niya kung ano ‘yung mga bagong classification (We expect the…
FIFTEEN more overseas Filipinos have tested positive for the coronavirus, bringing the total number of infected individuals to 9,893, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reported on Saturday, August 15. The agency also logged 19 new recoveries, raising the number of recovered Filipinos abroad to 5,842. With three new deaths in the Americas, the…
$100 million to go towards rent assistance as pandemic continues THE latest Los Angeles County Rent Relief program created to help county renters who have been heavily impacted by the COVID-19 crisis will launch Monday, August 17, and will remain open for a two-week period, closing on August 31. The rent relief program will provide…
Prop 16 would repeal ban on using race and ethnicity in college admissions Even amidst a global pandemic, racial justice has remained a key issue for voters. As California gears up for the upcoming November elections, one proposition on the state’s ballot looks at whether race and ethnicity should play a factor in public employment,…
THE Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Thursday, August 13, logged 57 new cases of the novel coronavirus among Filipinos abroad, bringing the total number of infections to 9,873. It also recorded one new fatality, raising the death toll to 722. Meanwhile, the number of recovered overseas Filipinos has reached 5,821 as the DFA…
Malacañang said competing for tourists was what drove a newspaper from Thailand to brand the Philippines as the “Land of COVID-19.” According to Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, the Philippines and Thailand are “fierce” competitors in the tourism sector, with the latter struggling to attract tourists due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. “There’s also no way…
THE Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles this week released an advisory detailing which foreign nationals can travel to the Philippines as the pandemic continues. “The entry to the Philippines of a foreign national is still dependent on the specific circumstances of each foreign national as determined by the Bureau of Immigration,” it noted. Below is the…
The foreign spouses and dependents of Filipino citizens will need visas to enter the Philippines, the country’s Bureau of Immigration recently announced. The new requirement took effect on August 9. “Foreign spouses of Filipinos must now secure entry visas from our Consulates abroad before traveling to the Philippines. Otherwise, they will be denied entry by…
The Philippine government has run out of funds to help those directly affected by the coronavirus pandemic in the country, President Rodrigo Duterte admitted on Monday, August 10. This comes after medical front-liners have called on the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) until the end of the month. However, the president said the government would…
by Rachel Bluth California lawmakers are barreling toward an end-of-month deadline to pass or kill bills amid the biggest public health crisis the state has faced in a century. Yet even in a year consumed by sickness, they’re considering significant — sometimes controversial — health policy measures that aren’t directly related to COVID-19. Much of…
PHILIPPINE fast food giant Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC) is the latest brand to feel the impact of the coronavirus pandemic after it suffered financial losses due to enforced lockdowns in the country. In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, the fast-food giant reported a net loss of P10.171 billion from April to June, reversing…
After nearly five months, the U.S. State Department lifted its blanket global Level 4 Health Advisory that advised U.S. citizens to avoid all international travel due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and returned to issuing its warnings to individual countries. “With health and safety conditions improving in some countries and potentially deteriorating in…
As the Philippines this week became the country in Southeast Asia with the most coronavirus cases, the government said the increased number is due to its ramped-up testing capacity. On Thursday, August 6, the country surpassed Indonesia’s 118,753 cases after the Department of Health recorded 3,561 additional COVID-19 cases, bringing the national count to 119,460….
WITH a total of 119,460 cases of the novel coronavirus, the Philippines surpassed Indonesia’s 118,753 and became the country with the highest number of infections among member nations of the Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN). The Philippine Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday, August 6, recorded 3,561 additional COVID-19 cases, with the majority of them…
THE PHILIPPINE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Thursday, August 6, recorded 65 additional cases of the novel coronavirus among Filipinos abroad, bringing the total number of infections to 9,692. “Figures today show a modest spike in the total number of COVID-19 cases among Filipino nationals abroad with 65 new confirmed cases in Asia and…
As California saw a drop in COVID-19 numbers earlier this week, a top health official suggested that discrepancies in the state’s electronic data system may have resulted in undercounts of cases. California Health and Humans Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said on Tuesday, August 4 that “some discrepancies” have been discovered in the state system…
Emergency ordinance passes at Board of Supervisors meeting August 4 REDWOOD CITY – An emergency ordinance proposed by San Mateo County Supervisor David Canepa to impose fines for individuals and businesses that violate the state’s COVID-19 health orders, including not wearing face masks in high risk settings, was unanimously passed by the county Board at…
FORMER President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Tuesday, August 4, came to the defense of President Rodrigo Duterte following the public backlash he received over the government’s supposed inefficiency in handling the novel coronavirus pandemic. In her Facebook post, Arroyo called Duterte’s critics “Monday morning quarterbacks,” a term used for people who criticize something and offer alternative…
HOUSE Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday, August 5, assured that addressing the novel coronavirus pandemic in the country is the priority of the House of Representatives. According to him, while discussions on the reimposition of the death penalty is allowed, the COVID-19 pandemic would take precedence in the chamber. Cayetano listed the proposed Bayanihan…
Existing recommendations include avoiding contact and interaction with folks outside their households If you were planning on hosting a house party sometime soon, it might be a good idea to cancel it now; if not for the volume of data proving large gatherings increase the likelihood of COVID-19 transmission, do it to avoid getting fined…
Education experts and leaders discuss the drawbacks of the U.S. response to COVID-19 and how best to provide for underserved students Public education advocates for years have been promoting the reality that the future of the United States hinges on today’s kids receiving quality and affordable education. But when the COVID-19 pandemic is here to…
THE Philippine economy will not be able to withstand a prolonged modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) in Mega Manila, Malacañang said on Tuesday, August 4. “Tatapatin ko po kayo, hindi na po kaya ng ekonomiya ang mas matagalan pang lockdown (I will be blunt, the economy cannot withstand a longer lockdown),” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque…
TEN overseas Filipinos have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of infected individuals to 9,607, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reported on Tuesday, August 4. “On day one of modified ECQ in Manila and other parts of Luzon, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases among Filipinos abroad passes the 9,600 mark…
FIFTY-SEVEN new deaths and 1,901 new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health on Friday, August 7. The State has determined under reporting of COVID-19 cases due to technology issues with the electronic laboratory system (ELR). Public Health learned of new issues with the State ELR feed…
RESPONDING to the ardent plea from healthcare workers, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has relegated the country’s capital and its nearby provinces under a modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) beginning August 4 until August 18. Duterte approved the Cabinet’s recommendation to return to a more stringent lockdown in response to the medical community’s plea for a…
